Fielding a ‘talented and commercial’ team that ’listens to client needs and responds appropriately’, White & Case LLP boasts a stellar and diverse client roster that includes majors, state-owned energy players and investment funds, and new market investors. The group has engaged with large-scale greenfield project financings, both domestically and internationally, floating production storage and offloading vessels, LNG regasification terminals, and direct air capture facilities – among others. This impressive asset engagement sits alongside continued excellence regarding multi-billion dollar M&A and private equity transactions, joint ventures and company spin-offs, handling mandates across upstream, midstream and downstream. Team lead Jay Cuclis has a wide corporate practice that is particularly focused on the upstream, and is noted for his strong work regarding CCUS. The ‘phenomenal’ Mingda Zhao is praised for his ‘pragmatic’ and ’commercial’ mindset is often instructed by private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Possessing M&A, finance and development expertise, Steven Otillar has predominantly been engaged with offshore mandates, while Clark Wohlferd focuses on large company takeovers, often working with the likes of Saudi Aramco. Emery J. Choi demonstrates prolific activity across the entire oil and gas value chain, handling M&A, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, whereas Charlie Ofner has led the team on mineral and royalty interest deals as well as spin-offs. Miami’s Sean Goldstein heads up the firm’s Americas-facing practice, specializing in project development and energy infrastructure work in Latin America. All practitioners are based in Houston unless otherwise stated. Christopher Richardson departed the firm in March 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘The W&C team is both talented and commercial. When negotiating to get a deal done, they are straight forward with advice around what we have to have and what we would like to have but could ultimately live without. Most importantly, they listen to our needs and respond appropriately.’
‘Mingda Zhao is our main point of contact and a phenomenal resource. He is able to grasp concepts and deal points quickly and develop a path to execution. He's pragmatic, commercial-minded, and can draw on significant transaction experience.’

Key clients

Marathon
Saudi Aramco
Chevron
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Continental Resources, Inc.
Old Ironsides Energy, LLC
EIG Global Energy Partners
Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP
Occidental Petroleum Corp
Devon Energy Corporation
Sixth Street Partners, LLC
Ara Partners
Braskem Idesa, S.A.P.I.
W&T Offshore
Pipeline Technique
TC Energy Corporation
Occidental
Mubadala Investment Company

Work highlights

Representation of Aramco on its planned acquisition of 100 percent of Esmax Distribución SpA (Esmax) from Southern Cross Group.
Represented Marathon Oil EF II LLC, a subsidiary of Marathon Oil Corporation in its US$3 billion acquisition of Eagle Ford assets of Ensign Operating LLC, Ensign Operating II LLC, and Ensign Operating III LLC.
Representation of Devon Energy on its formation of NDB Midstream LLC, a strategic partnership between WaterBridge NDB LLC, a portfolio company of Five Point Energy LLC, and WPX Energy Permian, LLC, a subsidiary of Devon Energy Corp.